Detroit Pistons 'lollygag' to 114-75 loss but have 20 games to decide if this was season low point

"The normal person, every day, would be dying for the checks that we get and we have to earn them." -- Lawrence Frank

Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Knight didn't necessarily play well but was one of few on his team who played hard in a 114-75 drilling by the San Antonio Spurs, including this effort to block a shot by Tim Duncan (left).The Associated Press | Eric Gay

SAN ANTONIO -- On the occasion of the Detroit Pistons' worst loss in more than a decade, Will Bynum was asked if a 39-point humiliation against the San Antonio Spurs was the season's low point.

"I mean, there's still a lot of games left, so I can't tell you that," he said.

Even with 20 games left to play, it's difficult to imagine the Pistons giving a less inspired effort than the 114-75 shelling the Spurs handed them.

Jason Maxiell, asked where the Pistons go from here, responded curtly and honestly.

"Nowhere else but up from this point, I'd say," he said. "We'll see how it turns out."

The Pistons (23-39) played their worst game of the season, without dispute, yet allowed some consideration to the possibility that rock bottom has yet to arrive.

It was a night when Brandon Knight used the word "lollygag" to describe the effort, and head coach Lawrence Frank suggested the massive paydays all these millionaires receive were, on this night, undeserved.

"The normal person, every day, would be dying for the checks that we get and we have to earn them," Frank said. "And tonight, quite frankly, we didn't. I didn't, we didn't."

The last time the Pistons lost by as many as 39 points was by the identical score on Nov. 9, 2002, at Dallas.

Their last loss by a larger margin was March 12, 1995, in a 134-94 home loss to Seattle.

Knight said he was "aggravated" by the fact the Pistons, 62 games into the season, sometimes still find themselves "trying to find a way to push guys to want to play harder, just to have respect for the game."

"I'll never be irritated at my teammates," Knight added. "Just moreso the lack of respect for us playing. It's not only them but myself. We all have to play harder. To give ourselves a shot to win against one of the best teams in the NBA, you can't come out and lollygag and half-play. You've got to come out and play hard.

"Everyone didn't come to play as a team. Our agenda wasn't on the right page."

The Pistons played little transition defense as the Spurs scored the game's first 19 fast-break points and finished with 58 points in the paint, both of which have become epidemic problems.

"It's always hard to play the last game, going back home from a road trip," said Charlie Villanueva, whose double-double was the Pistons' only bright spot. "That's no excuse. We should've been ready to play and we weren't. Simple as that."

Since the All-Star break, the Pistons have played four likely playoff teams and lost by 14 to Memphis, 32 and 18 to Indiana, and now 39 to San Antonio.

Next up, the New York Knicks on Wednesday, a team that has beaten the Pistons by 21, 15 and 14 points this season.

"We've seen this now against the heavyweights," Frank said. "The heavyweights are heavyweights for a reason. San Antonio, Indiana, Memphis -- now, thing is, the road doesn't get any easier. we've got New York coming into our building. Dallas (on Friday) is trying to vie for a playoff spot. Then, we go out west. So if the opponent is the excuse, we're in trouble."

Frank said he doesn't believe the Pistons are just playing out the string.

"If you're the type of guy, as a man or player, that counts the days instead of making the days count, that's not a professional," he said. "That's amateurish. That's not professional in the approach. We don't have guys like that, so I don't expect that."